Social Security Disabiliy Disability and Neurological Disorders
Our nervous system relays electrical signals throughout our body to direct behavior and movement. Disorders are usually related to a disturbance of this pathway from the brain, thru the spinal cord and down the peripheral nerves.
Seizures/Epilepsy
For instance, seizures start with abnormal electrical activity in the brain causing the body to shake rapidly and uncontrollably. They are disabling when they occur more than once a month despite treatment. Although most seizures last for only a few minutes, most people will sleep afterwards and still feel disoriented when they wake up. Critical to establishing the severity of this disorder is documentation establishing the frequency and duration of an episodes or attacks. On-going treatment,
preferably with a neurologist to
establish compliance, is
Important. Only seizures which are
not controlled by medical intervention
will be considered.
Stroke
When blood vessels in the brain
become weak, they can leak causing
the affected area to die. This is
known as a stroke and it is often
caused by high blood pressure
(a less than adequate force exerted to circulate blood in the blood vessels). Strokes can vary in intensity but most leave a person with residual neurological problems. If the stroke was not severe, many people recover eventually from the damage and regain use of their body. As such, Social Security does not consider every stroke disabling, only those that result in permanent and significant damage. Social Security will review post-stroke medical records to make this determination.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is really an autoimmune disorder. The body attacks the protective myelin which coats and insulates nerve fibers in and around the brain and spinal cord. Like seizures and other autoimmune disorders (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis), it is episodic. But this condition is much
more unpredictable in duration of
both episodes and remissions.
While the National Multiple Sclerosis
Society (NMSS) includes the use of a
brain MRI to diagnose the condition,
the criteria does allow diagnosis in the clinical
setting (physical examination) without
an MRI if at least 2 episodes are observed.
Social Security also does not require an MRI to establish the disabling nature of the condition in any particular individual. Most people with MS experience a chronic fatigue which can lead to a misdiagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome.
Neurological Disorders and disability
Conditions covered under the Listing of Impairments include
- epilepsy or seizures (grand mal, petit mal)
- stroke
- brain or spinal cord tumors and brain trauma
- Parkinsons, cerebral palsy, MS, ALS, MD, peripheral neuropathies.
Helpful Questions:
Seizures
- What is the frequency and duration of your seizures?
- Are you on medications to control your seizures?
- Does your doctor take blood to check to see how much of this medication is in your body?
- Does the dosage of medication that you take that controls the seizures cause unwanted side effects?
- Have you had an EEG test?
- Do you keep a log, journal, or a calendar of episodes?
Stroke
- Are you status post physical therapy with residual problems? If so, what are they (balance, weakness, left sided paralysis, vision, shaking, speech, bladder, etc)?
- If you have mental problems since the stroke, have you had neuro-psychiatric testing?
- Do you take medications for high blood pressure to prevent another stroke?
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Have you had a brain MRI?
- If so, did it show demyelination?
- Do you take Amitrex?
- Do you have side effects?
- Do you have vision problems?
- Do you experience fatigue?
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1-800-481-0302The Law offices of Suzanne Villalon-Hinojosa are located in Schertz, San Antonio and Edinburg Texas, serving all disabled Texans.
